Colter attachment for plows



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.4 W. J. EDWARDS. GOLTER ATTACHMENT FOB.PLOWS.

Patented Apr. 16, 1889.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. J. EDWARDS. GOLTBR ATTACHMENT TOR TLOWS.

No. 401,33?. I Patented Apr. 16, 1889..

Je i 'TT (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3'.,

W. J. EDWARDS.

GOLTER ATTAGHMENT POR PLoWs.V

No. 401,337.. PatentedApr. 16. 1889l` N PETERS Phamummpw. wnhingm. n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

VILLIAM J. EDVARDS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINGIS.

COLTER ATTACHMENT FOR PLOWS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 401,337, dated April16, 1889.

Application filed March 20, 1888.

To all 10700712/ it may con/ecrit:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. EDWARDS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Colter Attachments, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to colter attachments for plows, and moreparticularly to colter attachments involving a hanger adapted for directattachment to the plow-beam and a laterally-swinging colter arm or yokecarrying a rotary colter disk or blade and suspended from the hanger bydevices adapted to permit the coltcr arm or yoke to be swung vertically,and secured at certain points in its vertical swing, in order toeffectan adjustment in height oi' the rotary colter-blade, or rollingcolter, as it is more commonly termed.

The more prominent objects of my inven tion are to provide a simple,compact, and etlicient construction for permitting both the lateral andvertical swing of the yoke that carries the eolter-blade, to avoidclogging of the yoke, and to provide certain novel and improved details.

To the attainment of the foregoing and other useful ends my inventionconsists in matters hereinafter set forth, and particularly pointed outin the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l represents in side elevation a rotary orrolling colter-hlade connected with a plow-beam through the medium of anattachment embodying the principles of my invention, a portion only ofthe plowbeam being represented. Fig. 2 represents a vertical sectiontaken through the hanger and yoke on a plane transverse to the plane ofFig. l and indicated by dotted line 2 2 in said figure. Fig. 3represents a section taken transversely through the colteryoke on thedotted line 3 3 in Fig. 1 a portion of the colterblade being showninsection, the principle object of said figure being to illustrate theinclination of the inner sides of the two divisions of the yoke, wherebysaid sides along a certain length of the yoke diverge from their upperto their lower longitudinal edges in order to avoid the accumulation ofdirt or trash in the yoke. Fig. et represents a section taken throughthe colter-blade and the bearings in which it is journaled at the lowerend of the Serial No. 267,899. (No model.)

yoke, the plane of said section being parallel with the axis of thecolter-blade and indicated by dotted line el 4, Fig. l. In said Fig. 4 aportion only of the colter-blade is shown. Fig. 4f* represents one ofthe bearing-pieces herein preferably employed in the boxes wherein thecolter-blade is journaled. Fig. 5 represents a sectional plan taken onanY irregular plane indicated by dotted line 5 5, Fig. 1. Fig. 6represents the hanger in side elevation. Fig. is a detail view whereinthe lnearest one of the two sides or divisions 3 of the colter-yoke isunderstood to be removed, so as to expose one of the sets of teeth onthe swiveled hub or bearing E, a portion of the opposite or farthestside of the yoke being shown; also, a portion only of the hanger isrepresented in this figure. In said View the bolts 7 are shown incross-section. Fig. S represents in side elevation the inner side of oneof the sides or prongs of the yoke. Fig. 9 represents in perspective asection taken through one of the boxes or bearings herein provided atthe lower end of the yoke. Fig. l0 represents a longitudinal verticalsection taken on a plane centrally through the hanger andyoke, with thecolter-blade shown in elevation, the plane of said section beingparallel with the plane of Fig. l. Fig. ll represents in elevation thetoothed swiveled hub or bearing for the colter-yoke. Fig. l2 is a bottomplan view of the yoke.

In said drawings, A denotes a circular disk,

which constitutes the rolling colter-blade.

proper, and which, when mounted upon asupport depending from aplow-beam, B, is understood to operate in advance of a plow.

The pendent support Vherein shown for at taching the colter-blade to theplow-beam and for permitting both the lateral swing and verticaladjustment of the colter-blade comprises a bracket or hanger, C,designed to be attached to the plow-beam and the colter arm or yoke D,which is hung so as to swing about a vertical pivot on the bracket, andat the same time to tilt independently of such pivot, in order to permitan. adj nstment in height of the coltenblade, which is journaled at thelower end of the swinging arm or yoke.

In order to permit a lateral or horizontal swing on the part of thecolter-yoke, the bracket is provided with a vertical pivot, l,

about which the said colter yoke or arm is arranged to have a suitableextent of swing, and as a means for permitting such lateral swing on thepart of the yoke and for permitting the raising or lowering of thecolter-blade, so as to determine its depth of cut into the soil, thecolter-yoke is hung upon and arranged to depend from a hub or bearing,which is mounted to turn about said vertical pivot, whereby thecolter-yoke can be swung or tilted in a vertical plane, and althoughsubsequently locked by suitable means in such adjustment will be leftfree to swing horizontally, as before. To the attainment of such end anadjustable swivel is formed by a hub or bearing, E, mounted to turnabout the vertical pivot of the hanger and providing for the upper endof the yoke a rotary bearing, upon which the upper end of the yoke isfulcrumed in a manner to p'ermit the yoke to be tilted for the purposeof raising or lowering th'e colter-blade. As a means for holding thecolter-yoke in adjustment on its said swiveled fulcral bearing or hub E,the hub and colter-yoke are provided with interlocking teeth oranalogous projections, serving to hold the parts when clamped togetheragainst independent movement, but permitting the desiredvertically-swinging adjustment or tilt of the colter-yoke after suchparts have been properly loosened up. The hub or bearing E, which isthus mounted to rotate both ways about a vertical pivot or axis, isprovided at each of two opposite sides with a short stud or journal, 2,(best shown in Figs. 2 and 11,) whereby, when the hub is embraced by theupper end portion of the colter-yoke, the sides or divisions 3 of suchyoke can be and herein are hung or fulcrumed upon the studs 2. In thisway the yoke embraces and is fulcrumed upon the hub, whereby it can betilted about a horizontal axis afforded by the hub, while on the otherhand the hub, thus affording a 'fulcral bearing for the yoke, is mountedto turn about a vertical axis. The studs or journals 2 also serve tomaintain the upper ends of the two sides or divisions 3 of the yoke inposition relatively to one another. The colter-yoke thus fulcrumed uponthe hub or bearing E, so that it can be. tilted independently of the hubfor the purpose of raising and lowering the colter, is to be firmlylocked upon said rotary hub o'r bearing after it has been swung ortilted to an angle suitable for placing the colter-blade at the desiredheight. As a means for holding the yoke in its said adjustment upon thehub or bearing E, and for permitting such positioning of the yoke to bereadily and accurately made at anydesired angle along the allottedextent of its up-and-down swing or tilt, the hub is provided with twooppositely-arranged sets of teeth, 4, adapted to interlock withcorresponding sets of teeth 5 on the yinner faces of the two sidedivisions 3 of the yoke, as in Figs. 2 and 5. These sets of teeth may bein the form of interlocking segment-gears, but are preferably extendedto form complete annular sets, as herein shown, thereby providing formore extended locking and interlocking surfaces. The short studs orjournals 2 of the hub E desirably project centrally with relation to theannular sets of teeth on such hub, and the holes 6 (Fig. S, for example)formed in the sides of the yoke for the reception of the lateraljournals 2 on the hub are desirably arranged centrally with relation tothe annular sets of teeth 5 of the yoke. Vhen the two sides of the yokeare drawn together and clamped against the hub, the interlocking of saidsets of teeth respectively on the hub and yoke serves to hold the latterin its adjustment and eifectively resist any tendency on the part of theyoke to swing independently of the hub. By providing the hub with twoset-s of such teeth, respectively at opposite sides thereof, anvextended bearing and locking surface is provided. With such arrangementthe strain incident to any opposition to the colter-blade is distributedalong and from both sides of the yoke to both sides of the hub at pointsopposite the vertical pivot about which the hub is arranged to turn oroscillate. In this connection it will be observed that the studs orjournals 2 subserve a purpose independent of their mere function 4 aspivotal or fulcral supports for the colteryoke, said function being tomaintain the sets of teeth on the yoke-in match or register with thesets of teeth on the hub, so that under any and all circumstances thelock between such sets of teeth will be perfect. As a means for clampingthe toothed prongs or sides of the yoke against the correspondingtoothed sides of the hub or bearing E, tiebolts 7 can be and herein areemployed as one of various means for holding such members together.Wit-h such arrangement the yoke sides 3 are at their upper ends providedwith suitable bolt-holes, 8,(Fig. 8,for exam ple,) for such bolts, andthe hub E is at points along its toothed sides provided with curved orsegmentfshaped slots 9, Figs. 7 and 10, through which the bolts may passat opposite sides of the pivot l, about which the hub is arranged toturn. The slots 9 permit the lateral movement of the tiebolts 8 incidentto the tilt or IOO IIO

raising and loweringof the colter-yoke and j `colter-blade, and are oflength proportional to the greatest desired extent of such tilt.

In order to permitthe tilt or raising and lowering of the colter-blade,the bolts 7 can be loosened by properly unscrewing their respectiveallotted nuts, so as to allow the teeth of the yoke to be disengagedfrom the teeth of the hub or bearing E. After adjusting the yoke to theproper angle the nuts can be again tightened up, so as -to draw thesides of the yoke upon the hub and hold the toothed por` tions of saidmembers iirmly interlocked.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the yoke is pivoted or fulcrumeduponv a hub or bearing that is capable of turning about a pivot on thehanger, whereby the horizontal fulcral axis about which the yoke may beraised or lowered, as hereinbefore set forth, intersects the verticalaxis about which the hub or bearing E is free to turn. ln this way theyoke is in effect connected with the hanger by a compound joint which,while permitting the two distinctive movements of the yoke, is broughtwithin a small compass, and is rendered highly efficient and exceedinglystrong and durable.

The bracket or hanger C can be attached to the plow-beam in any suitableway, the attaching device herein represented consisting of a yoke formedby a couple of bolts, 11, (but one of which is shown,) arranged toengage at their lower ends in a groove or slot, 12, in the hanger, andhaving their upper ends connected together by a plate, 11. By sucharrangement the hanger can be adjusted in position along the beam andthen firmly clamped against the same, or,when desired, the hanger can beadjusted laterally with relation to the beam or entirely detached.

The upper bearing-surface, 13, of the han ger, which bears upwardlyagainst the beam, is herein shown extended rearwardly to and over thevertical pivot 1, in order that said pivot can be supported at bothends, its upper end being united to and supported by said horizontalportion 13 of the hanger and its lower portion united to and supportedby the lower end oi' the curved depending arm or portion la of thehanger, as particularly shown in Fig. 6. This strong and simpleconstruction constitutes a feature of improvement in the hangerwhicli,if desired, can be economically cast in one piece with the pivot1; also, the arrangement of the pivot l relatively to the curved pendentportion 14 of the hanger, while affording ample space, as at 15, Fig. 6,for the upper end of the yoke, permits the pivoted or swiveled fulcralbearing for such upper end of the yoke to be brought in close proximityto the plow-beam.

lVhere the rotary hub or bearing E .is arranged upon a vertical pivot,which, like the pivot l, unites at both of its ends with the bracket,the said hub is desirably made in halves, both for convenience incasting and to permit it to be readily fitted to the pivot. XV hen thusmade and applied, the two parts of the hub can be secured rigidlytogether by bolts or rivets 16, the result being in effect a hub made inone piece.

For the purpose of lightness the hub can be formed ot a two-part shellor casting; and in this connection it may be observed that the pivotwhen made hollow, as herein shown, will be found gto possess amplestrength. When the hub E consists of a two-part shell, it can beprovided at its upperand lower ends with bearings 17 for the pivot l,the upper bearing 17 being herein somewhat extended by the provision ofa short neck, 1S, rising from the hub.

The extent of lateral swing either way on the part of the yoke can belimited by any suitable arrangement of stops-as, for example, the neck18 at the upper end of hub E can be provided with a notch, 19, orthereception of a stop or lug, 20, on the hanger C, the ends of the notchin such case affording shoulders or abutments, which may` alternatelyengage the stop, and thereby limit the extent of rotation either way onthe part of the hub or bearing E.

The swinging arm or yoke D is at its lower end provided with boxes F, inwhich the colter-blade is journaled. The boxes F are adapted to permitthe lubrication of the col terjournals and their bearings, to which endeach box is provided in the lower portion of its inner wall with arecess, as at 21, Fig. 9, suitable for the reception of a quantity ofwaste, 22, Figs. 4C and 2. The box is also provided with a suitable neckor nipple, 23, through which any suitable lubricant can be introduced,and desirably each box is further provided with a half-cylindricbearing-piece, 2li, which is iitted into the box, substantially asshown, although of course the construction is not limited to theemployment of such bearing-piece.

Each of the two prongs or side pieces, 3, of the colter-yoke is at itslower end provided with one of said boxes F.

The disk forming the colter-blade is formed with a central opening forthe axle that serves to provide the journals, and said axle is at apoint adjacent to the middle of its length formed with a i'iange orannular shoulder, 26. The colter-blade is fitted directly 4upon the axleand clamped between said iiange 26 and a collar, 26a, which correspondsto the flange 26, and is slipped upon the axle. These parts are heldrigidly together by bolts 27, which extend through said ange, blade, and

collar. 4

The journals or end portions of the axle .have their bearings directlyin the boxes F of the bearing-surfaces of the cylindric journals, beingthe axle length, which extend from their iiange or shoulder 26 and thecollar 26 to the ends of the axle, thereby providing simple andefficient means for steadying the IOO IIO

colter-blade, for providing the colter-blade with journals, and formounting 'such journals in boxes capable of containing sufficient wasteand lubricant to last a considerable length of time.

As hereinbefore stated, the outer ends of the boxes are closed. This ispreferably attained by casting the boxes integral with the ends 24C,which serve as caps at such points. Of course the caps could be madeseparately and then secured to the boxes; but by the arrangement hereininvolved the expense and other disadvantages incident to such work arerendered unnecessary. The inner ends of the boxes, respectively, are inclose proximity to the flange 26 and collar 26 on the axle, whichsaidlanges serve, therefore, to close the boxes at such ends, andthereby exclude dirt. The lower ends of the colter-blade prongs thusprovided with boxes are prevented from spreading apart by a rod or boltarranged to pass centrally and longitudinally through journals andbearing at its ends in the outer ends, 24, of the boxes. To permit sucharrangement of the bolt 29, the axle is provided with an axial borecorresponding to the size of bolt. The bolt 29 is at its ends pro'-vided with suitable shoulders,which bear against the outer sides of theends or end caps, 24, of the boxes, a simple way being to provide anordinary bolthaving at one end a head and at the other end a nut, or toprovide the bolt with a nut at each end.l -Any tendency therefore of thelower ends of said sides, together with the boxes F, to spread apartduring operation will be eectively resisted by the bolt 29. The journalsG can, however, revolve freely about the rod 29, which, while preventingthe boxes from being forced away from the colter, need not revolve withthe journals.

The prongs or sides 3 of the yoke are formed so that their inneropposing faces, 30, incline with a divergence from their upper to theirlower longitudinal edges, as illustrated in Figs. 3, 5, and l2.

In Fig. 5 the inclination of the inner face of each side 3 of the yokeis indicated by a comparison of the upper edge, 31, of such inv ner facewith the lower edge of the face, the

said lower edge being indicated byv dotted line 32, which furtherindicates that the face slopes toward a somewhat outwardly-curved edge.This feature prevents the accumulation of dirt and trash in the yoke,since any matter thrown forward from the plow into the4 space betweenthe sides of the yoke will obviously drop and clear itself from the yokeby reason of the downward divergence or expansion of such space betweenthe yoke sides.

l/Vhat I claim as my invention is- 1. The combination, substantially ashereinbefore set forth, lof the rotary hub E, provided withoppositely-arranged toothed faces, the vertical pivot l, arranged as astationary portion of a bracket and providing an axis about which thehub is arranged to turn, and

the colter-yoke carrying a colter-blade and having toothed portionswhich engage with the toothed faces of the hub, for the purposedescribed.

2. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of therotary hub E, iitted to turn upon a vertical pivot and provided withoppositelyarranged toothed faces, thecolter-yoke carrying a colter-bladeand having toothed portions which engage with the toothed faces of thehub, and one or more bolts, 7, engaging the colter-yoke and extendingthrough one 0r more curved slots, 9, that are formed through oppositesides of the hub, for the purpose described.

3. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of thecolter-yoke carrying a colter-blade and having toothed portions, asdescribed, and the rotary head E, tted to turn about a vertical pivotand having at opposite sides the circular toothed face portions 4, andprojecting journals 2, arranged centrally with relation to said circulartoothed portions, the colter-yoke being hung upon said journals and heldwith its teeth in engagement with the teeth of the hub, for the purposedescribed. A

4. The combination, substantially as vhereinbefore set forth7 of thebracket C, adapted to fit against a plow-beam and having a verticalpivot, l, rigid therewith and extending from the lower end of its arm 14to its top portion, 13, the hub E, fitted to turn about said pivot andprovided with oppositely-arranged toothed faces, and the colter-yokecarrying a colter-blade and having toothed portions engaging the toothedfaces of the hub, said bracket being directly attached to a plow-beam,for the purpose described.

5. The colter-yoke having the inner opposing faces of its two sides ordivision formed to diverge from their upper toward their lower edges,substantially as and for the purpose described.

WILLIAM J. EDWARDS.

Vitnesses:

L. S. LOGAN, CHAs. G. PAGE.

